Biological sciences

The 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) present in soil percolated through soil columns under aerobic conditions is converted into aminodinitrotoluene or diaminonitrotoluene by the activity of microorganisms. The amount of nitroaromatics present in the soil decreases by 90% after 19 days of percolation of the TNT-polluted soil with a potassium phosphate buffer. TNT is totally removed from the percolation solution. The main product of TNT metabolism is 4-N-acetylamino-2-amino-6-nitrotoluene.

Novel detoxification of the trichothecene mycotoxin deoxynivalenol by a soil bacterium isolated by enrichment culture

Article Abstract:

An enrichment culture technique was employed in extracting a deoxynivalenol metabolizing mixed microbial culture from soil samples. The strain E3-39, which belongs to the Agrobacterium-Rhizobium group, was isolated from the enrichment culture. Two minor and one major deoxynivalenol metabolite was observed in the e3-39 culture filtrates' ethyl acetate extracts. The bacterium was also found capable of metabolizing 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol but not fusarenon-x and nivalenol.